Dutch transplant Ellis Faas is more than merely a celebrity makeup artist (although her clients have included Kate Winslet, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Annie Lennox, Marion Cotillard and Hillary Swank), she’s a visionary. With her cutting edge makeup line, Ellis Faas, and her artistic flair for painting faces, Ellis is changing the game of beauty one fantastical look at a time.
I asked Ellis my favorite beauty questions. Read on for her answers — and a very useful beauty tip!
INDUSTRY BREAK: At the start of my career, I hardly worked in fashion. I did a couple of movies, tons of music videos, and even advertising for the pharmaceutical industry where I used special effects to mimic diseases. When I took my first steps into the world of fashion, I was a bit of the odd-one-out. My international break came after I met Mario Testino in Amsterdam. From all of the portfolios he had reviewed, Mario chose to work with me on a shoot for L’uomo Vogue. We clicked, and he taught me how wonderful ‘fashion people’ can be, and thereby he dragged me into that world and all over the world.
FAVORITE PRODUCTS:
- ELLIS FAAS Creamy Eyes – The best, easiest and longest lasting texture ever.
- ELLIS FAAS Mascara – An ultra black, ultra creamy formula that thickens your lashes.
- Dermalogica Ultra Calming Mist – It moisturises even the most dried out airplane skin and does not ruin your makeup.
- Strivectin Neck Cream – I believe that it works.
- Dermanew Home Microdermabrasion System – My skin looks and feels amazing after using it.
FAVORITE LOOK: I have worked with so many fabulous photographers and have done so many shoots with them that by choosing just one, I am killing tons of darlings. but here is an image (below) for Vogue Paris with Guido Mocafico. Above all, Guido is known for his still-life pictures and gorgeous photos of snakes and jellyfish. What I love about the many beauty shots we did is that, although they have a simplicity, they have such impact.
BEST BEAUTY SECRET: Apply lipstick (and many other products) with your finger, because it creates the most sexy, natural look.
